


What Lays Beneath the Ash

by Majorminor2242



Category: Naruto, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: BAMF Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama, BAMF Midoriya Izuku, Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama & Uzumaki Naruto Friendship, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have One for All Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Learns the Ninja-way, Midoriya Izuku Needs A Hug, Naruto Has Passed Away, Quirkless Midoriya Izuku
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:55:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25117993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Majorminor2242/pseuds/Majorminor2242
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki has long since passed away -several millennia ago.The Ninja lifestyle has long been forgotten. Teachings of the past lost like ash to the wind... The methods and knowledge of chakra have long been erased to history with industrial revolution and technological advancements.But one thing that has not changed, is the Bijuu beast recently reawakened from it’s millenial slumber.The last tie to the forgotten past...And the biggest threat to humanity’s future...All locked away, within a hated, feared, yet innocent young boy.
Relationships: Class 1-A & Midoriya Izuku, Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama & Midoriya Izuku
Comments: 49
Kudos: 157





	1. Release of a True Beast

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: This story requires some amounts of suspended disbelieve on the reader's part. I've done my very best to make everything as logical and sensical as possible in order to reduce plot holes, however some things (such as the crisis Kurama creates) you'll have to accept my reasoning for, as I've tried my best to link the Naruto-esque parts with the My Hero Academia parts as best I could despite the many differences in the eras and universes.
> 
> Enjoy! ^^

For generations of the Uzumaki line, Kurama, the Kyuubi no Yoko (Nine-tailed Demon Fox) had been left to rest after the final affairs of Naruto Uzumaki’s life. It was left to recover in a comatose-like state, as all of it’s Chakra, -and therefore its lifeforce- had been used to stop a world-ending calamity, killing his host, and leaving Kurama ‘dead’ also.

Sleeping within an endless void of black, Kurama held no conscious state, nor awareness of the world, until one very fateful day...

When one boy, with a nigh identical life-force to his previous host, was born and pulled him back to the world through this new feasible host...

Upon first awakening, Kurama recalled his memories of Naruto, of how the boy changed his negative, judgemental ways on human kind. How the boy proved that there _was_ some hope in the world, at least in people like him.

_How Naruto was betrayed by his closest allies, left to rot and die alone in his final moments._

Upon reawakening, Kurama held only hatred in his heart towards the vile humans who killed his only friend and locked him away for so many countless years...

* * *

Within the first few hours of Izuku Midoriya being born, entire cities in Japan had been levelled. Obliterated by unyielding fury as a monster with nine tails, not remembered by the world, rampaged in its wrathful vengeance.

Only with the intervention of All Might, the world's greatest hero, was there any chance of victory against the demonic beast reigning havoc from above. The battle raged on for hours, with uncountable tolls of victims and casualties... But nobody knows how exactly it happened. How exactly their world was saved from destruction... Other than that it all lead back to the small, green-haired newborn baby, who's belly was marked with ancient writing seemingly more than millennia's old.

* * *

Izuku Midoriya had grown up alone in life. He had never known his father, and apparently his mother had been killed in a catastrophic disaster when he was born. Nobody would tell him why or how, so he was left to his own devices. Simply living off of what little money he was granted as a ward of the state. He wasn't sure why, but no-one would foster him, and no-one would care for him. It seemed exactly as though the entire world was terrified of him at times, which always confused him.

Walking down streets, it was as though the whole world knew his face and despised it. He was banned from cafés, shunned from shops, and was even driven out of public areas by mobs of swarming people on bad occasions.

What had he done wrong? What did he do to deserve such isolation and hatred? Why did it seem that the world, no matter how hard he tried, would always come to hide from him?

Izuku's only dream, since birth, was to become a hero. Adored by the masses and looked up to as an inspiration for future generations. He wanted to be like All Might, saving hundreds of lives within minutes in times of calamity and disaster...

But even at the age of six now, he was _feared,_ despite how hard he tried.

* * *

Izuku had to remind himself daily that being allowed to go to _any_ school, let alone this one, was a blessing he shouldn't take for granted.

It was hard, though, when every kid his age treated him like such scum to a degree that suggested they all wanted him dead. When he was much, much younger, for a little while, Izuku experienced what it was like to have a 'friend'. Katsuki Bakugou was for a little while, the only person who didn't fear him. Sure, the boy was brash and abrasive, and he treated everyone else as though they were below him due to his incredible quirk... But at least then, Izuku knew he wasn't being treated like dirt by this boy out of fear or hatred, instead it was simply because the boy was egotistical.

If Izuku was being honest, due to how poorly he had always been treated, this alone felt like a miracle he didn't want to lose.

It was only after a month or two, that the other boy began to distance himself from him, however. One day, he suddenly started calling Izuku things like 'Monster' and 'Demon', and before long, he was treating him just like everyone else, if not _worse._ 'Villain'. 'Evil'. Every day, Bakugou began to subject him to worse and worse bullying, an no-one would stop it. The teachers would either ignore it, pretend to miss it, or even outright _watch_ as it happened, and after the hundredth time or so, Izuku eventually stopped going to the headmaster for help, as he never took action.

It was today, however, when Izuku was fifteen, that Bakugou Katsuki had finally said something irreversible and unforgivable. "Your pathetic, Deku. Everyone hates you, so why don't you wish for a better life next time and take a swan-dive off the roof?"

He then proceeded to burn his hero-analysis notebook (the fourteenth of a series that had become his favourite hobby or writing), and threw it out an open window.

For a few seconds, Izuku's vision turned red, indescribable, uncontrollable anger bubbling up within him. But he didn't move or speak; simply stood there, rooted to the ground as his ex-friend and cronies all vacated the empty classroom.

It took a while to calm down, as Izuku couldn't _ever_ remember reaching such heights of anger before, however eventually he exited the school and made his way to find his lost journal, which he found ironically floating within the koi-pond, a fish nibbling at his literal dreams.

He couldn't even bring himself to sigh nor retort as he picked up his floppy, soggy book and shook it as dry as possible before placing it into his bag. He then began his fateful trek back home to his empty, small, yet meticulously tidy apartment, ready to unwind for the day and hopefully get to sleep as soon as possible to forget the day's events.

It was only when he was halfway home, that he encountered a problem. To describe it simply, a villain with a sludge-mutation quirk had ambushed him from a manhole cover leading to the sewers, underneath a small footbridge. There was no-one else around, and the villain was suffocating Izuku before he could even react or yell for help, talking about 'taking over his body' for this reason or another -Izuku cared less for the reason, and more for struggling for his life in his final few moments of consciousness.

But just as he gave up, his will to live and fight diminishing as the cruelty of life crept up on his weary soul, he found himself laying down within a dark room, surrounded by strange water that wasn't wet.

Wanting to go back to sleep at first, but deciding to explore this new location for the sake of it, he pulled himself up into a sitting position, and found himself facing a cage made up of enormous red bars larger and longer than skyscrapers.

Deciding to follow the cliché scene in any movie, he opened his mouth to ask 'Hello, is anybody there? Where am I?', but just as he took a breath, a deep, resonating voice echoed throughout the large, empty space.

 **"Izuku Midoriya... We meet at last."** the voice reverberated within his very core, which surprised the boy, however for a long time now, Izuku hadn't really experienced 'fear' as an emotion himself, so he wasn't sure how to place the feeling of butterflies within his chest.

"Well... hello I guess? Who are you?" his voice sounded meek and squeaky in comparison.

**"I am the reason you are so hated and feared among your kind. I suppose I feel I should apologise for that, despite how I still hold heavy... _grudges_ against humanity. You are different to most others, with a pure heart that I myself have seen plenty of in a boy just like you before... His name was Naruto Uzumaki. He was your... very long passed ancestor, and a reluctant best-friend of mine."**

"N-Naruto Uzumaki...? What was he like? And you still haven't told me who you are..."

**"I am the 'Kyuubi no Yoko', or 'Nine-tailed Demon Fox' if you will, but my name is Kurama, and I'd prefer it if you referred to me as such young one. There is much to explain regarding my existence, Naruto and more, however now is not the time. You are currently dying, and in your final moments your subconsciousness has kicked in, forcing you to enter this place -at a late age, I admit. There are several ways in which I could help you, however only one of them will work right now with your inexperience."**

"K-K-Kyuubi no Y-Yoko- i-it's y-you.... _You're_ the Demon Fox who killed half a million in less than a single day! O-oh god, why- what's going on- _WHY ARE YOU INSIDE ME?!?!"_ the boy began hyperventilating, panic flooding to his shaking hands.

"Why- w-why- What am I? I... I don't understand, is t-that why everyone _hates me?_ Because I am the demon spirit who killed all those p-p-people...?" Izuku felt like he was going to be sick.

The large orange fox sighed, not holding any grudge against the boy for his words, as the Bijuu knew he didn't know any better. **"...No, you are not me, and I am not you. It is not your fault for being hated by all you know, and I truly do feel bad for being the reason for that. But no is not the time. Look, I'm going to need to ask a lot of you, for what you'd consider as 'first introductions'. _I need you to trust me, and unlock this cage, or we're both going to die in the next minute."_** ****

"Wha- NO! Why on Earth would I do that?! _What makes you think I value my own life above the entirety of Japan!?! I'd rather die than let you out to repeat the same events from fifteen years ago!"_

**"I swear, kit, I will not harm a single soul except this sludge trash currently trying to kill you, and after I will relinquish everything without struggle, but you need to trust me on this! I am serious, we are both about to die within the next few moments!"**

"That's not a risk I want to take! You give me your word, yet it comes from a murderer! I don't know anything about you! Why would _anyone_ trust you in this situation?!" the boy yelled.

Having ran his patience dry, Kurama released a guttural sigh, before glaring directly into Izuku's eyes, and suddenly, the dark, empty space surrounding him warped and changed into lush forestry and green landscape, with the beautiful melodies of birds and nature floating about in the dawn.

Before his eyes, colours exploded as flashes of what seemed to be memories blitzed his eyes as image upon image of Naruto and Kurama working together over many years and trusting each other were made known. In milliseconds, Izuku watched entire battles unfold, as Naruto used the Nine-tails' power for the first time to save a raven-haired boy, another time to save a pink haired girl, and many other times to save many others as well. The reoccurring theme seemed to be that the power was only ever used to _save people._

As the visions progressed, the power Naruto used changed and grew as he seemingly formed true bonds with Kurama after defeating him and freeing him of his chains of hatred as Naruto always promised he would. Izuku watched from Kurama's own perspective as he went from hating the energetic boy's guts, to gradually growing to await when the boy visited him within his mindscape, caring for him, as more and more often he lent his power to keep the boy safe when needed, healing his wounds and defeating his evil enemies.

It wasn't to say Naruto didn't have his own skill, as just from the few clips he saw alone, Izuku could tell that Naruto was an unnaturally incredible fighter for his age, especially in comparison to the modern day and style of combat. He held prowess unlike any hero Izuku had ever seen, fulfilling the term 'ninja' better than any movie could ever hope to depict.

Finally, the memories ended with a single moment. One that seemed to hold magnitude incomparable to all other moments between the blonde-haired boy and the chakra fox.

_"You're no longer the Demon Fox. From now on, you're Kurama! A citizen of Konohagakure, and my partner in our team!" Naruto yelled with vigour as the large cage behind him swung open, releasing the Bijuu, who was grinning just as triumphantly to match._

Eventually, everything silenced, and the gruff voice of Kurama sounded, **_"Will you trust me, Izuku Midoriya?"_**

...

"...I trust you."

* * *

_Waking up, his vision clouded with **red**._


	2. Power-Play

_Actually_ waking up, Izuku felt like his entire body had been burnt by flames. His skin felt raw and especially excruciating against the parts he was touching the gravelly ground with. Everything hurt.

"Wh-what happened...?" his hand raised to his face to block out the blue sky above, until he was suddenly overshadowed by a large silhouette.

**"First, I must apologise for you getting caught up in this in the first place, as I had been chasing this villain all morning until he escaped to the sewers and jumped you. But to answer your question simply, young man; you almost died, then overexerted yourself, and then almost killed this villain -had he not had the viscous mutation quirk he does. You're very lucky because of that, in fact. Other than that, you did really good for what it's worth!"**

Izuku's mouth went dry as he stared wide-eyed at his idol, the world's best hero and symbol of peace, All Might, until the words finally kicked in. Just as guilt consumed him, _another_ deep voice resonated from within Izuku's mind.

 _"Ignore him, kit. My power has... some adverse affects, however you wouldn't have killed anybody, I was making sure you didn't."_ the deep voice of Kurama resounded in his head, surprising him.

 _"K-Kurama?"_ All Might blinked as Izuku whispered in bafflement, "Oh, s-sorry All Might! I w-wasn't talking to you- NOT TO BE RUDE OR A-ANYTHING!" he fell into a panicked ramble until the man halted him with a hand.

 **"No worries, young man. But I would like to know more about your quirk, if you wouldn't mind? It seemed... very strong, but undeniably _volatile._ It didn't seem you were fully in control of your actions there for a while?" **little did Izuku know just how much All might already knew about the boy.

After all, it was _him_ who was appointed to the emergency interception call for if the power within the boy ever re-emerged and caused havoc like it did in the historical disaster years ago. Many resources had gone into the protection of the world and even for the boy himself, and the only real reason that Izuku Midoriya was still alive to this day, was because All Might himself refused to see the boy die innocent as a newborn baby. He didn't believe it was fair, so he 'simply' convinced the higher-powers to allow him to monitor the boy inconspicuously and let the boy live his life -so long as he never proved to be a threat again. They had done many things to ensure the truth of the matter was kept secret from him, such as altering his personal web browsers on his devices/accounts in order to hide certain searches or information from him. Everything was done in order to protect him from _himself_ and allow Izuku to live as normal of a life as possible.

Of course, the plans were made... difficult, as from the very beginning, the media had widespread information on the boy before any damage control could be done to protect his identity. The entire world knew about his face both then and nowadays, and even if they deleted websites and news outlets, more copies simply multiplied soon enough. They managed to conceal his name from the public, as well as his address and contacts, but other than that, the boy led an undoubtedly strained life due to the public hatred directed towards him.

But hearing the boy speak of a 'Kurama', worried All Might as possibilities rose to his mind. _'Is he speaking to the beast within him? That must have been the power that was released when he was tearing into that villain, but to what extent does his power currently reach? Is he truly a threat that should be... eliminated now before things grew disastrous?'_

"Oh, w-well... To be completely honest sir, I... r-really don't know about m-my power? I only just found out about it as I was... _d-dying..."_ Izuku wasn't sure how much he should tell the hero, despite how much he _despised_ lying. But being honest, Izuku was sure Kurama wasn't a quirk due to how he was his own being and had lived for many millennia, however explaining that his incomparably strange 'power' wasn't actually a quirk, but something _else_ in this world, may end up attracting the wrong kind of attention. Attention he _definitely didn't want._

**"Ah, what a strange case of late-blooming, I've never seen anyone discover their quirk so late in life young man! How strange... What was it like when it activated, would you mind me asking? I'm merely curious due to how powerful you seemed."**

"Um... w-well, to be honest, the last thing I remember was falling unconscious in the villains grip as he was suffocating me, but then I woke up here without any memory of what happened between. If _you_ wouldn't mind, sir, could you tell _me_ what happened, please? Sorry, I wish I knew more right now but everything is just so confusing..."

All Might frowned beneath his eternal grin. **"Ah... Of course. How strange for you to not recall in-between, however I believe you and don't mind saying. From what I saw when I arrived, you were shrouded in a red glow that licked your body like fire, and suddenly the sludge villain encasing you simply _exploded!_ Yup, popped and painted the very walls around us! Of course, he was still alive due to his quirk -thankfully, and I swept him up in these large soda bottles while you were unconscious, but other than what I've told you, after that you merely... collapsed. Nothing more, my dear boy."**

"O-oh...."

The two of them were left in an awkward silence, until All Might suddenly spoke up as though remembering something important, which startled Izuku.

**"By the way, my boy, one other thing I noticed is that when you used your power, you grew some extra appendages. They've disappeared now, but during the moment, I saw you grow orange ears and at least a dozen tails as well! If I weren't so focussed on my job, I would have complimented you, they looked adorable and still held an almost... _untamed grace_ about them. I'm not sure, but perhaps your quirk is a form of _transformation,_ of some sorts perhaps?"**

Having not known this had happened but instantly intrigued, Izuku blinked in mild surprise, before smiling a modest smile. "W-well, no, I have no idea what you mean by what you saw, but I'll definitely be sure to test everything I can about it as soon as I get home sir! It's always been the biggest dream of mine to become a heartfull hero that inspires those around him, no matter if they're good or bad! I believe everyone should have a chance to change for good if they aren't. Until today, I was always lead to believe I was quirkless... Everyone told me I was powerless and useless, that I wouldn't be good for anything, especially heroism... But they're all wrong, and this proves it! I don't care what anybody says, or how everybody treats me; I'm going to become a great hero for sure! and with this new power of mine, I'll definitely make that happen!"

The mountainous man beside the boy chuckled heartily, before flashing a blinding grin at the boy. **"I'll hold you to it then, young man! A hero with that kind of spirit is a true hero indeed, and definitely someone we need joining our ranks! Anyway, now I must say goodbye and deliver this evildoer to the police station, as well as catch up on any other crime occurring nearby. Good luck on the UA entrance exam!"** ****

Izuku was going to ask how the man knew he wanted to get into UA, but didn't bother as already the space beside him was occupied by nothing but a cloud of dust as the hero rocketed through the air, already miles away within seconds.

"... Huh... Well, I guess we need to... sort a lot out, huh, Kurama?"

_**"Indeed. I suggest we get back home before we start, as there are many things we must discuss. All of them important."** _


	3. Deku's Road to Improvement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (As Izuku never grabbed onto All Might or questioned his ability, and therefor didn't free the sludge villain again, meaning there was no moment where he saves Bakugou -for anyone wondering.)

It had been a week since the incident, and so far, Izuku had been getting acquainted with the chakra being sealed within his body. Mostly, the tailed-beast had been sharing memories of the past with the boy, seeing if anything he shared stuck to his memory -which sadly wasn't the case, however it was still highly educational for the boy to watch skilful Shinobi fight, as that was what he'd be learning to do soon enough.

**"You know, I thought I somewhat missed Naruto -if only for a little bit- but this just makes me question why. You're too much like him, and whether or not that's good or bad yet, I can't quite decide, but so far it's only been highly frustrating, just like he used to be."** the tailed beast retorted within Izuku's head as he huffed.

"Can you please be quiet?! I'm _really_ trying here, but you aren't helping!"

 **"It's got nothing to do with _trying,_ all you need to do is clear your mind and look within yourself to reach your mindscape. That's quite the _opposite_ of trying.** ****

**... Then again, every thought Naruto ever had within his head was sparse and lonely, seeing as half the time his mind was empty anyways. Now that I think of it... no wonder he found doing this so much more natural in comparison to you!"** the kyuubi snorted in his jest. **"Already at your current age, he had learnt a formidable amount of Jutsu -at lest for a child-, and he started when he was twelve practically. I suppose having an empty head is good for some things, huh? So you're pretty far behind already, and this isn't helping, you're too much of an over-thinker."**

"H-hey!" Izuku growled faintly at the cackling within his head. "Stop making fun out of everyone you know! N-Naruto sounds like a really cool person, you shouldn't speak of him like that. A-anyway, wasn't he like your best friend o-or something?"

**"No. Naruto wasn't my friend, don't confuse that with simply working together with him. Quite frankly, I hate all humans, with the only somewhat exceptions being you two as I have personally seen both of you grow up with good souls despite your ostracisation. Even then, however, I hated Naruto for a very long time at first. For a long time, I felt ashamed to have been sealed inside a _child_ to contain my power. It made me feel like nothing but a slave driven to become the toy of some _child._ In the end, I eventually came to see it differently, so I admit I am lucky to have been sealed with Naruto and yourself, instead of anybody else. However that is where it ends. I am not your 'friend'. I see you both as nothing more than hosts to my unrivalled power. The only reason I so choose to cooperate with you at all, is simply because the only other options are some _other_ humans that I genuinely _do_ hate and distrust, taking over me anyway. I'm seemingly destined to be enslaved by some human or another; I suppose I'm just somewhat lucky its been by both you and Naruto."**

"I don't plan on 'using' you like that at all, so you're wrong in saying everyone wants that from you.You're not my 'slave', and if that's truly how you've always felt, then I'm sorry, because I don't want to keep someone trapped within me until I die. I have to, though, because from what I know, every time you've been free in the world, all you've done is killed thousands upon thousands of innocent people. I can't let you free, because as much as I dislike it, I can't trust you like that."

**"You are wrong."**

"H-huh? What do you mean I'm wrong? How can you say that?! You killed-" the boy was abruptly cut off by a feral growl.

 **"YOU KNOW _NOTHING!"_ **Izuku's eyes blew open as the booming voice rushed him like an onslaught of heavy wind. Suddenly, he found himself no longer sitting within the park, meditating, but rather inside the dark, empty, watery space he had first met the tailed beast in. **"DO NOT SPEAK OF EVENTS YOU DO NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND!"**

"W-what... about it do I not u-understand then?" Izuku asked meekly yet sternly. He wasn't about to let this topic drop, especially not now, and Kurama seemed to realise this from the heavy sigh he released.

**"...What happened back those many years ago that I showed you memories of, was not _my own_ doing. You assume I willingly killed all those people in Naruto's village, yet you piece none of the information you have together. I hate humans; they treat us Bijuu like slaves of immense power that belong to them. But do you really think I always held this outlook from the moment I was brought to existence?" **the fox took on a rhetorical tone.

Suddenly, everything clicked together like pieces of a puzzle. "You... You were _u-used..."_ it came out more as a whispered statement than a question, and Kurama huffed, confirming Izuku's suspicion.

**"... _I_ did not choose to attack that village. I, myself, was previously ambushed by a member of the Uchiha clan- a very powerful clan that I despise with every ounce of chakra that makes up my body. He used his... power, to take control of me as my 'master', forcing my actions to bend to his will. He wanted to rule the world, believing that he 'deserved' the power I have. During my rampage on Naruto's village, Konohagakure, however, I was stopped by the fourth Hokage of the village, their leader; Minato Namikaze. Naruto's father. He gave his life in order to use a sealing Jutsu to seal me within his newborn son, Naruto, as his chakra would be able to develop alongside my own and allow him to live with me contained within him, as any other who tried to do that would slowly burn alive from within from my raw nature chakra conflicting with their own already developed chakra. The sealing Jutsu technique killed Minato, and Naruto's mother died alongside him during my rampage when protecting her child -who I tried to kill when I realise what they were doing. But I failed, leaving me sealed within Naruto, who was left to grow up alone and isolated from his entire village, as they all feared the 'demon fox reincarnated as a child'. Just like you, except perhaps just a little luckier seeing as there wasn't 'social media' back then to spread information on him as widely.** ****

**The time you were born, was different, however. That time, fifteen years ago... for the first time in countless years, I was in full control of my own actions. I had complete choice in my actions and I hated humanity for what they did to Naruto and I, and so I chose to enact my revenge.** **I do not regret killing those people, especially any who were long descendants of the Uchiha's, and honestly because of everything I've had to deal with, such as being enslaved many times and temporarily killed for a millennia I believe I have a pretty reasonable argument for hating all of humanity as much as I do. The majority of all humans I've had the displeasure of meeting have been nothing but greedy, cruel, disgraceful, and frankly quite insufferable whelps in my opinion. They stole chakra like they stole everything else from nature and the word around them. They assert dominance and rulership over all other life due to their intelligence, and because of their 'supremacy', they all believe that the world and its limited resources belong solely for their own benefit, with no regards to other life."**

Izuku tried his best to hold in his tears at the cold, horrific outlook. "Y-you pretend not to care. That you don't hold feelings or ties for anyone. But you're wrong. You care about Naruto, whether you care to admit it or not, because I can hear it in your own voice every time you speak about him as though reminiscing happier times you miss! Not only that, but why would you rampage upon reawakening if you didn't? You said it yourself.... You hate what happened to him and yourself, and you wanted to get revenge -for both of you. You wouldn't have bothered if what happened to you didn't really matter. You're technically immortal anyway, aren't you? You knew it didn't matter as much if you were brought back in the end, so ultimately, you got mad for Naruto instead, not yourself. I may be wrong as I don't know how he truly died... And perhaps you really don't care for him anyway; if that's the case, say it truthfully right now. B-but you shouldn't keep acting like caring about others is something impossible or shameful to you. Everyone should have people they care about and want to protect; it's what makes them strong. That's why I want to be a hero."

Before Izuku could even resist, he was forcibly 'shoved' from his own mind with a jerk, opening his eyes to the outside world once more. After that, the two of them didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day, Izuku leaving Kurama to think to himself, and vice-versa. Internally, however, and unknown to Izuku that the fox could hear his thoughts, he made a promise.

_'Someday, I'm going to get rid of all the hatred inside you. It's what a true hero would do, and whether you realise it or not, I will never treat you like anything other than a friend or companion. You may have made some awful decisions in the past, as well as been treated poorly by many others, but I don't believe for a second that you're evil, and I'm gonna prove it to you! Just you wait, Kurama! You're stuck with me, and I'm stuck with you, and soon enough, we're both gonna like it!'_

Within his cage, the demon fox's lip tweaked into a light, hardly noticeable smile as he rested, eyes closed. Hearing those exact same words from Naruto had left him angered by the boy's 'insolence', yet in the end, he truly did carry through on his word, and now, Kurama didn't doubt that Izuku would be the same.

**God damnit. I really did have to get stuck with a replica of the first damn brat, didn't I? Why couldn't it have been one of the other Tailed-Beasts suffering through this...** he grumbled, trying to ignore his own smile. **How bothersome. Go ahead then, kit. Try your best to win over this Bijuu, and we'll see if you live up to what Naruto did, in the future. You're far more perceptive than he was, and I'm surprised you saw through my facade of hating him to try and deceive you, however I'm not about to make it easy for you just because I grew to like him.**

**No, Naruto fairly beat me and convinced me to change from exposure to his attitude alone. Don't think I won't make it just as hard for you, kit.**

**Just you wait...**


	4. Meeting History

Izuku sighed for the umpteenth time, infuriating Kurama within their joint mindscape.

**"Will you _stop that?_ I'm trying to sleep."**

"No you're not, you pretend to rest but you're just as aware." the boy stated simply as he continued pottering about with no clear objectives in mind.

"Hey, Kurama.... What was Naruto like?" the question came out of the blue causing the fox to open an eye.

 **"... Where is this coming from?"** he grunted dispassionately.

"Well... you said he's my ancestor, right? A-and that during his life, he was a great hero who achieved many things; everything he set his mind to. He sounds really awesome... But I'm just curious as to what he was really like? You know... as a person. What did he look like? Was he charismatic, or-"

 **"Let me stop you _before_ you launch off on another one of your tangents." **the kyuubi took a deep breath, before sighing. **"Hhhhhhh. Just let me show you with a clone Jutsu before you deafen me permanently."** with that, he raised up within the cage for one of the first times Izuku had ever seen. He then performed a very complicated series of hand-signs, and suddenly, directly in front of them appeared a boy Midoriya's size, with blonde bangs similar-ish to Kacchan's in a way. He had water-blue eyes and three small whisker marks on each side of his face -similar to a tattoo or birthmark. He wore bright orange clothes that resembled a tracksuit, and open-toed sandals on his feet.

"Hey! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the best ninja around and soon-to-be Hokage for the Hidden Leaf Village! You better believe it!" the boy spoke, surprising Izuku.

Kurama sighed as he lowered back to the ground. **_"_ _This,_ is Naruto. Or at least what he was like at your age. Later on, he did become the Hokage, but that's not important right now."**

"Woahhhhh, and this is a _'clone'?!_ H-how.... how did you do that? Is he real? Or is he some kind of figment of imagination? Or are you portraying memories you have of hi-"

 **"SHUT. UP. For the love of all that's chakra-blessed! Yes, this is a clone. No, he isn't the kind of 'real' that you're thinking of, but he's not imaginary either. Technically, I'm influencing the clone with my exact memories of him and things he's said or done, but all this is just a clone projection created out of my chakra."** he paused at the end, closing his eyes calmly but immediately growing an expression of confusion.

**"Hold on... What?"** Izuku was tempted to ask what was the matter, but didn't expect the beast to reciprocate his curiosity well. Thankfully, however, Kurama continued, **"It seems to be drawing in chakra from _your_ reserves despite the fact that I made it with my own... Something I've never seen a clone do in my entire existence. In fact, that shouldn't be possible at all..." **they both paused when the previously stationary boy metaphorically 'opened his eyes' for the first time and rubbed his upper lip in confusion, before turning and spotting Kurama and grinning as the large fox stared back at him.

"Oh, hey Kurama! Been a while, huh? And who's this? I don't ever remember seeing you around before..."

**"O-kay... I didn't exactly plan for him to say that... Nor do I ever remember him saying those words exactly before... That's... odd..."**

Izuku quirked an eyebrow. "And are you sure you didn't just forget that he's said those few words to you one-time-or-another? It's a pretty simple thing to say..."

The beast shook his head, clearly too confused and thoughtful to retort sarcastically. **"No... we tailed beasts are made of chakra entirely, and therefor do not process 'memories' as you mortals do. I remember every second and every detail since I was 'born'."** ****

"Huh, I never knew that! Why didn't you ever tell me that Kurama? Also, you still haven't told me what's going on here..." the boy interrupted their hushed conversation, further surprising the two.

Izuku went to glance at the fox to see if he was smirking (playing some kind of trick on him or something), but before he could even speak the fox replied with **"No, I have no regard for jokes."** which shut him up. Just as Izuku was internally questioning if he could hear his thoughts, he was interrupted with **"Yes, and quite frankly your thoughts drive me insane."** and that was that.

**"Naruto."** he stated more than asked at this point.

"Yeah...? What?"

 **"You are a clone of my exact memories of you. How are you able to talk freely to this extreme degree? I'm not imagining nor remembering anything you're currently doing."** the Kyuubi even went so far as to lean forward close to the bars of his cage, eyes wide akin to a child full of rapture. If both Izuku and Naruto had any suspicions, it was as though the chakra being had never experienced the emotion of pleasant surprise and wasn't quite sure how to channel it other than like how a child would.

"Uhhh..... Aren't _you_ the one who's lived for ages and knows stuff? How would _I_ know?! And what do you mean by _'I'm a clone'?! I'm the real thing!_ " the 'clone' retorted, before turning to Izuku. "Since he's being a dummy I'll ask you myself. Who are you? I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the best ninja around and soon-to-be Hokage for the Hidden Leaf Village, and you better believe it!" he gave an enthusiastic thumbs up.

"You... you just introduced yourself earlier, don't you remember?" at that, Naruto blinked, before squinting in thought.

"Did I...? I don't remember ever greeting you before... But anyway, who are you?"

"I-Izuku Midoriya... From what I know, I'm your long-winded descendant... It's an honour to meet you." Izuku went to shake hands, but received a slap instead like a sideways high-five.

"Huh... Cool to meet'cha too! Never would'a thought I'd meet my future family this way, gotta be honest..." he jokingly smiled.

Meanwhile, Kurama was busy reigning himself and his emotions. **"Naruto... It's been a while... As much as it pains me to say, my existence was only... _mediocre_ when you were gone..."**

The boy grinned widely, before leaping a solid fifty feet in the air and landing on Kurama's head, shocking Izuku. "Awww, that's about as close to admitting you care about me you've ever gotten! I think I'm seeing some improvement..." he jeered, yelling when he was thrown off with a violent shake.

 **"Shut your trap, I never said I missed you to a degree of caring. I see your reality is smeared by imagination just as much as ever."** Naruto just smiled as the Kyuubi reared back and sat down but still sitting up. ****

Meanwhile, Izuku was processing what he had seen. "I thought you said you absolutely _hated_ Naruto just the other day?" Izuku's lip twitched when his words clearly affected the fox, who blinked and squinted accusingly yet silently.

Naruto booed, "Whhhaaaaaaaaat, no way! I wouldn't belief that for a second; I'm way too awesome for this furball to hate, and he knows it!" his words only received a deep-rooted groan from the beast.

**"Oh please, abyss forbid, don't tell me I'm permanently stuck with the _two_ of them now. Not even _I_ feel strong-willed enough to survive this torture." **the two laughed as the fox fell down seemingly dramatically. They would have thought he was acting slightly out of character, but the truth was in his words; he really wasn't sure if he could bare the pain these two could unanimously cause him.

After a while, Izuku spoke up. "Soooo.... what now?"

Naruto shrugged whilst the Kyuubi took a breath. **"I suppose this all needs working out. We find out whether this is permanent or temporary, as well as how it even works in the first place. If Naruto really is being... projected through this chakra clone, then figuring out how and why is the key."**


End file.
